One of the largest animal markets in the south-western part of the country is Bagh-achhara Satmail Haat in Sharsha upazila of Jashore. The lease price of the Haat is about Tk five crore per year.
Before the outbreak of coronavirus, more than five thousand cows and buffaloes were bought and sold at every market in the district. But this year 100 to 150 are expected to be sold.
Consequently, hundreds of animal traders and farmers are fearing massive financial losses, at every market, even the leaseholder of the Baghachara Satmail cattle market is worried.
Meanwhile, the sacrificial cattle market is kept open by ensuring social distance after being closed for three months due to the risk of epidemic coronavirus infection. But the leaseholders are lost in the thought of how to get the investment money now in the absence of buyers and sellers.
In order to compensate for the loss, the leaseholders and farmers have appealed to the government to reduce the lease price of the market by 60 percent due to coronavirus situation.
Nazmul Hasan, the leaseholder of the Haat, said, “The Haat has been leased for Tk 4 crore 90 lakh. But the lease price will not be hopeful this year due to fewer buyers over coronavirus.
Although more than enough sacrificial animals are ready at their farms for the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha, farmers in Jashore are worried whether they will get their money back they invested in cattle rearing as the Covid-19 pandemic clouded the prospect of their sale.
Officials at the Department of Livestock Services (DLS), Jashore said some 67,975 sacrificial animals are ready for the Eid at 10,282 farms against the demand for 60,500.
There will be no scarcity as there are 7,500 more animals against the demand, they said. This year, 24 cattle markets will be set up in different parts of the district following health guidelines of the government.
Some local cattle traders said they have reared their animals throughout the year investing huge money so that they can make some profit during the Eid.
Traders, mostly from Barishal, Noakhali, Bhola and Khulna, usually throng the cattle farms in the district two months ahead of Eid for purchasing cattle, but this year the scenario is quite different due to coronavirus, said farmers.
Eid-ul-Azha is only a few weeks away. But traders from other districts are yet to come here, they said.
Md Mohabbat, a cattle farmer of Bagharpara upazila, said, “Having 120 cows in stock, I’ve an expectation to sell 80 of them but this time the situation has changed.”
The customers and traders are showing reluctance about visiting haat-bazaars due to the worsening virus situation, he said adding, “That’s why the cattle prices are much lower than that of the previous year.”
